蒙古空军
The Mongolian Air Force (Зэвсэгт хүчний Агаарын цэрэг) began with a single Junkers F 13 in May 1925, grew under Soviet tutelage into an air arm that flew beside the Red Army at Khalkhin Gol and in 1945, was left all but grounded when Soviet fuel, spares and troops went home after 1990, and in 2026 flies a handful of Russian-donated MiG-29s, a few helicopters and three An-26 transports while its main job is watching the sky with radars its own command calls forty years old.
The Mongolian Air Force story: one Junkers in 1925, Khalkhin Gol and donated MiG-29s
1925–1938: one Junkers and a Soviet model
Mongolian military flying began on 25 May 1925, when a Junkers F 13 flown by Lieutenant Colonel D. Shatarragchaa entered service as the first aircraft of both civil and military aviation in the country; Wikipedia gives 21 February 1925 as the formal founding date and counts three F 13s in service to 1931. Everything else came from the Soviet Union. According to A. J. Walg’s history in Air Enthusiast, Moscow gave three Polikarpov R-1 reconnaissance biplanes in March 1931 and Mongolia bought three more; in the 1932 uprising against collectivisation, Soviet and Mongolian-crewed R-1s flew reconnaissance, dropped leaflets and bombed the rebels. By 1935 Soviet aircraft were based in Mongolia itself, and in May 1937 the air arm was renamed the Air Corps of the Mongolian People’s Republic. The model was clear from the start: Soviet aircraft, Soviet instructors, and a small national service built in the Red Army’s image.
1939–1947: Khalkhin Gol, Manchuria and Baitag Bogd
The largest air war over Mongolia was not fought by Mongolians. From 11 May to 16 September 1939 Soviet and Japanese air forces fought over the Khalkhin Gol river on the Manchurian border; Wikipedia, summarising the published research, puts Soviet losses at 208 aircraft in combat and 42 more in accidents, and Japanese combat losses at 162. Japanese bombers raided the Soviet base at Tamsak-Bulak inside Mongolia on 27 June without Tokyo’s permission. Mongolian R-5 biplanes served alongside the Soviet air force, but their sorties and losses are not documented in the sources checked. By October 1944, Chinese intelligence cited by Walg counted 180 aircraft and 1,231 airmen; an Air Force Division is listed among the 16,000 Mongolian troops who invaded Manchuria and Inner Mongolia in August 1945. In June 1947, in the Baitag Bogd clash with Chinese forces, Mongolia’s own statement said its border guards advanced under the cover of Mongolian aircraft; China said the aircraft were Soviet, and Moscow denied it.
1950s–1990: missiles first, jets late, and a cosmonaut
After 1945 the air arm stayed small and support-minded. The IISS Military Balance for 1971–72, as cited by Wikipedia, credited it with about 1,000 men, transports and trainers and no combat aircraft at all; the first S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missile units had entered service in 1966, when the service was renamed the Air Force of the Mongolian People’s Republic. Jets came late: Wikipedia dates the first MiG-15UTI and MiG-17 to 1970 and the arrival of MiG-21s to the mid-1970s, with sources differing between about 25 and 44 airframes delivered in 1977–1984. The real air power in the country was Soviet: the 39th Army stationed in Mongolia took 190 aircraft and 130 helicopters home when it left. The service’s best-known airman, J. Gürragchaa, joined it in 1966 and on 22 March 1981 flew to space on Soyuz 39, the first Mongolian to do so; he was later Minister of Defence from 2000 to 2004.
1990–2018: the Soviets leave and the air force stops flying
The end of the Soviet alliance was the end of Mongolian air power in any real sense. Moscow announced the withdrawal of the 39th Army on 15 May 1989, and the last Russian troops left on 15 September 1992; Choir, home of Soviet air defence missile units, lost them in 1989, and its runway, the longest in Mongolia, now lies abandoned. With the Soviet economy gone, Wikipedia records that the air force was effectively grounded for lack of fuel and spare parts. What was good was that the service survived as an institution; what was bad was that its MiG-21s sat idle, some 8–12 reportedly stored at Nalaikh, and the fleet was run down between 2007 and 2011. A 2011 Ministry of Defence plan to buy MiG-29s from Russia by the end of that year, reported by News.MN, did not happen, and a 2013 study of three C-130J transports, reported by Eurasianet according to Wikipedia, also led nowhere.
2019–2026: donated MiGs, old radars and a new aviation law
The revival, such as it is, came as a gift. According to News.MN and Russian Aviation, as cited by Wikipedia, Russia donated two MiG-29s on 26 November 2019; Wikipedia adds four more in 2021, which no official Mongolian page checked confirms. FlightGlobal’s World Air Forces directory, with data to October 2025, lists just eight aircraft: two MiG-29s counted as trainers, two Mi-171 and one H145 helicopter, and three An-26 transports, with nothing on order. Claims on Wikipedia that Mongolia received four Su-30SM fighters from 2019 are not supported by FlightGlobal or the ministry and are left out. The ministry’s own words are sober: in November 2020 the air force commander said its radars had been in service for 40 years or more. Since then the emphasis has been on surveillance, a drone centre in Unit 337, a new State Aviation Law sent to parliament in April 2026, and a 2027–2031 military partnership programme signed with Russia on 28 September 2026.
The Mongolian Air Force in numbers
服务
- 本地名称
- Зэвсэгт хүчний Агаарын цэрэгThe Ministry of Defence calls the command Зэвсэгт хүчний Агаарын цэргийн командлал (Air Force Command of the Armed Forces) and its chief Агаарын цэргийн командлагч. Wikipedia gives the longer form Монгол Улсын Зэвсэгт хүчний Агаарын цэрэг
- 创立
- 25 May 1925 (first aircraft)A Junkers F 13 flown by Lt. Col. D. Shatarragchaa entered service on 25 May 1925. Wikipedia gives 21 February 1925 as the founding date; an official Mongolian date was not found on the pages checked
- 一部分
- Mongolian Armed ForcesUnder the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence; the ministry’s State Aviation Division oversees all state aircraft operators
- 总部
- Ulaanbaatar areaThe official pages checked do not give the Air Force Command’s address
- 指挥官
- Brig. Gen. B. Mönkh-IreedüiPromoted from colonel on 19 March 2026 while serving as Air Force commander
- State aviation law
- Revision before parliament (2026)The ministry sent a revised State Aviation Law, replacing one over 20 years old, to parliament on 20 April 2026; on 5 June it went to the Security and Foreign Policy Standing Committee. It covers aircraft of the armed forces, border protection, emergency management and police
- Main partner
- 俄罗斯Annual Selenge exercises (the 18th ended on 8 August 2026) and a 2027–2031 military strategic partnership programme signed on 28 September 2026; Russia also trains Mongolian officers
- Best-known airman
- J. GürragchaaAir force officer from 1966, first Mongolian in space on Soyuz 39 (22 March 1981), defence minister 2000–2004
- 国防部长
- Dambyn BatluutReappointed on 7 April 2026 in Prime Minister N. Uchral’s new government; the ministry calls him Mongolia’s 30th defence minister
力量
- 人员
- 约1500人Wikipedia’s figure, which appears to draw on the IISS; not confirmed on an official page
- Jet aircraft
-
- MiG-29 — 2–6
FlightGlobal lists 2 MiG-29s, as trainers; Wikipedia says 2 were donated in 2019 and 4 more in 2021 and calls them MiG-29UB two-seaters
- 直升机
-
- Mi-171 — 2–12
- H145 — 1
FlightGlobal (data to October 2025) lists 2 Mi-171 and 1 H145; Wikipedia gives 12 Mi-171E/Sh. The emergency management agency, not the air force, bought three EC145s in 2021
- 运输
-
- An-26 — 3
FlightGlobal
- 地面防空
- Soviet-era SAMs and gunsWikipedia lists 6 S-75 Dvina and 2 S-125 (Pechora-2M) batteries, 8 Strela-1 batteries and ZPU-4, ZU-23-2 and S-60 guns; not confirmed on an official page
- 国防预算
- About US$210 million (2019)About 1.5 per cent of GDP, per Wikipedia; a current figure was not found
基础设施
- 空中监视
- Unit 325 and its sub-unitsUnit 325 controls eight special sub-units under Air Force Command; the command said in 2020 that its radars had served 40 years or more and planned two or three new radar stations
- Flying and drone units
- Units 337 and 353The minister visited both in November 2020; Unit 337 runs the air force’s drone centre
- Former Soviet air bases
-
- Choir — Mongolia’s longest runway, abandoned
- Nalaikh — former Soviet airfield, reported MiG-21 store
The Soviet 39th Army left Mongolia by 15 September 1992, taking 190 aircraft and 130 helicopters
- Capital airports
- Buyant-Ukhaa and Chinggis Khaan InternationalBuyant-Ukhaa, listed as public and military, became a backup airport when Chinggis Khaan International opened in 2021
How the Mongolian Air Force is organised
An Air Force Command under the General Staff of the Armed Forces, with the Ministry of Defence’s State Aviation Division overseeing all state aircraft operators. FlightGlobal’s directory, with data to October 2025, lists eight aircraft: two MiG-29s counted as trainers, two Mi-171 and one H145 helicopters and three An-26 transports. The main work is watching the sky, with Unit 325’s eight air-surveillance sub-units and a drone centre in Unit 337.
Air Force Command of the Armed Forces
Under the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence, in the Ulaanbaatar area; the official pages checked give no address. Brig. Gen. B. Mönkh-Ireedüi, already Air Force commander, was promoted from colonel by presidential decree on 19 March 2026. The ministry’s State Aviation Division oversees all state aircraft operators.
Unit 325
Controls eight air-surveillance sub-units under Air Force Command, which said in 2020 that its radars had served 40 years or more; on 14 September 2026 the ministry reported 360-degree cameras installed at all eight.
Units 337, 353 and 303
Unit 337 runs the air force’s drone centre, and the minister visited it and Unit 353 in November 2020; News.MN called Unit 303 one of two air force squadrons at the MiG-29 handover of 26 November 2019. Their aircraft and home stations are not published.
地面防空
Wikipedia lists six S-75 Dvina and two S-125 batteries, eight Strela-1 batteries and ZPU-4, ZU-23-2 and S-60 guns, all Soviet-era; not confirmed on an official page.
What the Mongolian Air Force flies today
每种收费类型都链接到其在《野兽之书》中的页面（如果存在）。. 统计的是登记在册的飞机数量，而不是某一天可用的飞机数量。.
| 类型 | 角色 | 在服役 | 自从 | 单位 | 笔记 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 米格-29（MiG-29UB）在服役 | Jet fighter-trainer | 2019 | 2–6. FlightGlobal (data to October 2025) lists 2, as trainers.
更多的Wikipedia says Russia donated 2 in 2019 and 4 more in 2021; its MiG-29 operators page cites Mongolian reports of four or five in 2021. No official Mongolian count was found. |
|||
| 米尔 Mi-171（Mi-8/17 系列）在服役 | 运输直升机 | 2–12. FlightGlobal lists 2; Wikipedia gives 12 Mi-171E/Sh. | ||||
| 空客直升机H145在服役 | 轻型多用途直升机 | 1 | 1 per FlightGlobal. | |||
| 安东诺夫 An-26在服役 | 战术运输 | 3 | 3 per FlightGlobal; Wikipedia lists the type without a number. |
Every type the Mongolian Air Force has retired
8 types, from the Junkers F 13 to the Junkers F 13. 峰值数字是指飞机在整个服役期内接收的机身数量，而不是任何某一天的机队规模。.
| 类型 | 角色 | 顶峰 | 已上菜 | 被替换为 | 笔记 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junkers F 13 | Transport and first aircraft | 3 | 1925–1931 | Three, per Wikipedia’s Junkers F 13 article. | ||
| 米高扬-古列维奇 MiG-21PFM 和 MiG-21UM | 拦截者 | 1977年— | 米格-29 | 25–44. Wikipedia’s air force article says 25 arrived by the mid-1970s; its MiG-21 operators page says 44 were received in 1977–1984. | ||
| 米格-17 | 战斗机 | 1970年 | 米格-21 | 未知。. | ||
| 米格-15UTI | 喷气式教练机 | 1970年 | 未知。. | |||
| 波利卡尔波夫R-5 | 侦察轰炸机 | 未知。. | ||||
| 波利卡尔波夫 I-16 | 战斗机 | 1939年— | Sources differ: Wikipedia’s I-16 article lists a single aircraft used for training, while its air force article lists I-15s and I-16s delivered by the Soviets from 1939. | |||
| 波利卡尔波夫 R-1 | 侦察双翼机 | 6 | 1931年 | Three given by the Soviet Union in March 1931 and three bought, per Walg as cited by Wikipedia. | ||
| Other Soviet types (La-5, Yak-9, Il-2, I-15, Po-2, An-2, Li-2, Il-14, An-12, Yak-11, Yak-18, Mi-4) | Fighters, attack, transports, trainers and helicopters | 1939年— | 未知。. |
Where the Mongolian Air Force flies from
黑色的标记代表正在使用的基地，空心的标记代表已经关闭的机场。. Buyant-Ukhaa, Ulaanbaatar’s airport from 1957 to 2021, has a military base on its grounds, where Russia handed over two MiG-29UBs in 2019; the other fields are Soviet legacies, and Choir, with the longest runway in Mongolia, has lain abandoned since the Soviet withdrawal. Choibalsan is now a civil airport, the status of Nalaikh is not confirmed, and Tamsak-Bulak was the Soviet airfield of the Khalkhin Gol battles of 1939. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.
| 根据 | 国际民航组织 | 地位 | 跑道 | 部队和飞机 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buyant-Ukhaa Airportmilitary baseUlaanbaatar (Khan-Uul District) | ZMUB | 积极的 | 14/323100米15/332000米草 |
|
| NalaikhUlaanbaatar (Nalaikh District) | 关闭 |
没有找到符合搜索结果的空军基地。.
Who is stationed where in the Mongolian Air Force
按基地排列飞行部队，当前部队优先。. Mongolia publishes neither its flying units’ aircraft nor their home stations: Units 303 and 337 are listed at Buyant-Ukhaa because their people attended the MiG-29 handover there in 2019. Soviet regiments that flew from Choir and Choibalsan until 1990–1992 are listed too, each marked as not Mongolian.
- Armed Forces Unit 303Air force unit (role not published) · active
- Armed Forces Unit 337Aviation unit and drone centre · active
- Mi-8 (helicopter lost in December 2015), Unmanned aerial vehicles
没有符合搜索条件的单位。.
Mongolian Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
25 May: a Junkers F 13 flown by Lt. Col. D. Shatarragchaa becomes the first Mongolian military and civil aircraft. Wikipedia dates the founding to 21 February.
March: the Soviet Union gives three Polikarpov R-1s; Mongolia buys three more.
Soviet and Mongolian-crewed R-1s fly reconnaissance, leaflet and bombing missions against the uprising.
May: renamed the Air Corps of the Mongolian People’s Republic; Soviet aircraft have been based in Mongolia since 1935.
11 May–16 September: the Khalkhin Gol air war between the Soviet and Japanese air forces over eastern Mongolia; Mongolian R-5s serve alongside.
October: Chinese intelligence, cited by Walg, counts 180 aircraft and 1,231 airmen.
August: an Air Force Division is listed among 16,000 Mongolian troops in the invasion of Manchuria and Inner Mongolia.
June: the Baitag Bogd clash with Chinese forces; Mongolia says its border guards advanced under the cover of Mongolian aircraft.
The first S-75 Dvina missile units enter service and the service becomes the Air Force of the Mongolian People’s Republic; J. Gürragchaa joins.
First jets, MiG-15UTI and MiG-17, per Wikipedia; MiG-21s follow, 44 of them in 1977–1984 by one count.
22 March: Gürragchaa flies to space on Soyuz 39, the first Mongolian cosmonaut.
15 May: the Soviet Union announces the withdrawal of the 39th Army; Soviet air defence missile units leave Choir.
15 September: the last Russian troops leave; the air force is soon effectively grounded for lack of fuel and spares.
The Ministry of Defence announces MiG-29s will be bought from Russia by year-end; the purchase does not happen.
26 November: Russia donates two MiG-29s, per News.MN.
4 November: the air force commander tells the defence minister its radars have served 40 years or more.
Wikipedia reports four more MiG-29s from Russia; not confirmed officially.
19 March: commander B. Mönkh-Ireedüi made brigadier general. 20 April: State Aviation Law revision sent to parliament. 28 September: 2027–2031 military partnership programme signed with Russia.
Every war the Mongolian Air Force has fought
记录中有出击次数和损失的地方都如实记录，没有记录的地方则保持空白。.
- The 1932 uprising 1932 Reconnaissance, leaflet dropping and bombing of rebel forces
- 哈拉哈河战役 1939 The air war was fought mainly by the Soviet and Japanese air forces; Mongolian R-5s served alongside the Soviet air force
- Soviet–Japanese War 1945 An Air Force Division is listed among the Mongolian units under Soviet command; its operations are not described in the sources checked
- Baitag Bogd clash 1947 Mongolia said its aircraft covered border guards expelling Chinese troops; China said Soviet aircraft bombed its positions
Everything people ask about the Mongolian Air Force
Does Mongolia have an air force?
What is the Mongolian Air Force called in Mongolian?
What fighter jets does Mongolia have?
Did Russia give Mongolia MiG-29s?
Does Mongolia fly Su-30 fighters?
When was the Mongolian Air Force founded?
Did Mongolian aircraft fight at Khalkhin Gol?
Did Mongolia have MiG-21s?
Who was the first Mongolian in space?
Who commands the Mongolian Air Force?
Read the aircraft the Mongolian Air Force flew
每种类型都在《野兽之书》中占有一席之地，先按服役年份，再按离开舰队的年份。.
所有事实均已核实
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Агаарын цэргийн командлалд ахиц гарна (4 November 2020)Minister G. Saikhanbayar at Air Force Command; commander Brig. Gen. O. Enkhbayar; radars in service 40 years or more; 2–3 new radar stations planned; possible aircraft talks with Russia.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Батлан хамгаалахын сайд Г.Сайханбаяр: Агаарын цэргийг хөгжүүлэхэд хийх ажил их бий (4 November 2020)Visit to Units 353 and 337; drone centre in Unit 337; modernisation needs radars, aircraft and missiles.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Агаарын цэргийн чадавхыг нэмэгдүүлнэ (21 January 2021)Deputy minister at Air Force Command; commander Brig. Gen. O. Enkhbayar; earlier modernisation delayed; funds allocated for 2021.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Монгол Улсын Зэвсэгт хүчний эгнээнд генерал цолтнууд шинээр нэмэгдлээ (19 March 2026)Air Force commander Col. B. Mönkh-Ireedüi promoted brigadier general.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Батлан хамгаалахын сайдаар Дамбын Батлутыг улираан томиллоо (7 April 2026)Batluut reappointed by Prime Minister N. Uchral after nine months as minister; 30th defence minister.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: State Aviation Law revision submitted (20 April 2026)Revision of a law more than 20 years old: state aircraft registration, airworthiness, personnel, foreign specialists.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: State Aviation Law revision referred to standing committee (5 June 2026)Referred to the Security and Foreign Policy Standing Committee; covers armed forces, border, emergency and police aircraft.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Улсын нисэхийн хэлтэс (State Aviation Division)Policy, airspace use, state aircraft registration and certification, oversight of state aircraft operators.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Selenge-2026 exercise concluded (31 August 2026 post)Ended 8 August 2026; over 800 personnel; about 100 aircraft, helicopters, weapons and equipment; 18th year.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Агаарын хил тайван байна (14 September 2026)Unit 325 and eight special sub-units under Air Force Command; camera installation.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Агаарын орон зайн хяналтын чадавхыг бэхжүүлэхэд шаардлагатай асуудлуудыг үе шаттай шийднэ (28 September 2026)Minister and chief of General Staff at air-surveillance units; modernisation studies ordered.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Minister D. Batluut meets Russian Deputy Defence Minister V. S. Osmakov (28 September 2026)2027–2031 military strategic partnership programme signed; Selenge-2026, Centre-2026, Khalkhin Gol battlefield expedition.
- Ministry of Defence of Mongolia: Т.Сүхбаатар on the western border fighting (14 June 2023)Ministry military historian: aircraft supported troops in 1947–1948 but were hampered by mountains and lack of airstrips; mentions air force general M. Zaisanov.
- FlightGlobal: World Air Forces directory (data to October 2025)Mongolia: MiG-29 2 (trainers), H145 1, Mi-171 2, An-26 3; nothing on order; no Su-30.
- Civil Aviation Authority of Mongolia, Aeronautical Information Service: eAIP aerodrome list (AD 2)Lists 23 aerodromes, among them ZMUB Buyant-Ukhaa, ZMCK Chinggis Khaan, ZMCD Choibalsan and ZMSF Sky Friends; no aerodrome is marked military. The AD 2 pages themselves could not be reached, so no AIP coordinates or runway data are used.
- Civil Aviation Authority of Mongolia, Aeronautical Information Service (home page)Mongolia’s eAIP portal; lists recent AD 2 amendments for ZMCD, ZMCK and others.
- News.MN: Putin’s present: Mongolia gets MiG fighters (B. Ankhtuyaa, 28 November 2019)Two MiG-29UBs handed over on 26 November 2019 at a military base on the territory of Chinggis Khaan International Airport (today Buyant-Ukhaa); Brig. Gen. Enkhbayar addressed personnel of 303 and 337 squadrons; Pechora-2M systems also donated.
- News.MN: Russian MIG-29 fighters land in Ulaanbaatar (26 October 2016)Five MiG-29s of the Russian Knights and an Il-76 refuelled at Chinggis Khaan airport on 25 October 2016 on the way to the Zhuhai air show.
- News.MN: Helicopter crash – two in critical condition (28 December 2015)Military Mi-8 crashed in Nalaikh on 23 December 2015; one killed, ten hospitalised; statement of the Armed Forces spokesman.
- News.MN: Helicopter crash update – one still in a critical condition (6 January 2016)Gives the date as 24 December 2015; Nalaikh; regular monthly training flight; all aboard military; cause not identified.
- News.MN: Helicopter crash – update (13 January 2016)Crew from Armed Forces Unit 337; one killed, ten hospitalised, nine discharged by 13 January 2016.
- OurAirports: Nalayh Air Base (MN-5M)Public-domain database: military airfield at 47.7417 N, 107.3717 E; no runway data.
- OurAirports: Nalaikh/Sky Friends Airport (ZMSF)Separate civil field at 47.7731 N, 107.4378 E, elevation 1,472 m.
- OurAirports: Bayantal Air Base (MN-60)Public-domain database: military airfield in Bayantal, Govisümber, at 46.5767 N, 108.3233 E.
数据已于 2026 年 9 月 30 日核实。战斗序列页面由单个数据集重新生成；如果此处的数字与《野兽之书》页面不一致，则此页面为两者中较新的页面。.
Photographs: Photo: Łukasz Golowanow / Wikimedia Commons (Attribution) · Photo: Jan Hrdonka / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: ImAGeekNotANerd / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Balon Greyjoy / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · Photo: Greg Goebel / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Peer.Gynt / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)